More In Credits & Deductions The Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) is a refundable part of the CTC. ACTC allows certain taxpayers who are eligible for the CTC to receive a refund if the CTC is more than their tax liability.
A portion of the Child Tax Credit is refundable for 2025. This portion is called the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC). For 2025, up to $1,700 per qualifying child may be refundable.
Lower-income taxpayers generally receive a credit of $1,700 or less per child, depending on their earnings. In contrast, higher-income taxpayers with sufficient income tax liability receive a credit of $2,000 per child.
Given that you meet most of the requirements, the issue might be related to your income level or how it's being reported in your tax software. If your income is very low, you might not owe enough taxes to benefit from the non-refundable portion of the credit.
Why am I not getting the child tax credit
YCTC is also available for tax year 2021. Eligible taxpayers would need earned income of $1 to $30,000. The credit decreased as earned income reaches certain phase out thresholds. Those with zero earned income or less would not qualify for YCTC.
The law also allowed dependents who do not qualify for the $2,000 credit to qualify for a nonrefundable credit worth up to $500 per dependent. This credit is often referred to as the other dependent tax credit or ODTC. The law's changes to the credit were temporary and originally scheduled to expire after 2025.
In order to claim the EITC or CTC for a child, it is not enough that you are taking care of them. You must also be related to them, either by blood or marriage, or through legal adoption, foster care, or a custody order. To prove: Send copies of birth certificates, custody orders, or DNA tests.
Calculate your Child Tax Credit
However, the actual amount you qualify for per child depends on your MAGI. As we mentioned above, the CTC starts phasing out at $200,000 for single filers and $400,000 for married couples filing jointly. For every $1,000 you make above these limits, your CTC will be $50 less.
Specifically, the Child Tax Credit was revised in the following ways for 2021: The credit amount was increased for 2021. The American Rescue Plan increased the amount of the Child Tax Credit from $2,000 to $3,600 for qualifying children under age 6, and $3,000 for other qualifying children under age 18.
While a $10,000 tax refund might sound like a dream, it's achievable in certain situations. This typically happens when you've significantly overpaid taxes throughout the year or qualify for substantial tax credits. The key is understanding which credits and deductions you're eligible for.
You qualify for the full amount of the Child Tax Credit for each qualifying child if you meet all eligibility factors and your annual income is not more than $200,000 ($400,000 if filing a joint return). Parents and guardians with higher incomes may be eligible to claim a partial credit.
The “One Big Beautiful Bill” (OBBB), which was enacted in 2025, increased the Child Tax Credit to $2,200 per child beginning with the 2025 tax year. This amount will also be adjusted annually for inflation starting in 2026.
The most common refundable tax credits are the Earned Income Credit, Child Tax Credit, American Opportunity Tax Credit, and the Premium Tax Credit. Even if you're not required to file an income tax return, you must file a return to claim a refundable tax credit and receive any related tax refund.
When Congress enacted the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001, it both doubled the Child Tax Credit to $1,000 per child and made it partly refundable. The credit has been altered several times since—for more on the legislative history, see this Congressional Research Service report.
If a tax credit is refundable, it means that a person can still get the credit even if they do not owe any federal income tax. ii A family's refundable Child Tax Credit amount is calculated by multiplying the family's annual earned income above $2,500 by 15%.
If you do not have income, and do not meet the main home requirement, you will not be able to benefit from the Child Tax Credit because the credit will not be refundable. For information about the main home requirement for the fully refundable Child Tax Credit, see Q B6.
The child tax credit amount you can expect on your refund will depend on your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI). Once your income reaches a certain limit, the credit amount will decrease or completely phase out. The credit amount will be reduced by $50 for every $1,000 above your income cap.
Requirements. The age limit is UNDER age 17. If your child turns 17 on any date in 2025, the child does not qualify for the credit. You must report at least $2,500 worth of earned income.
Why we hold your refund. By law, we can't issue EITC or ACTC refunds before mid-February. This includes your entire refund, not just the part that's related to the credit you claimed on your tax return. If you claim the EITC or ACTC, we may need more information from you about your return.
You are only eligible for the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit if you (and your spouse, if you are filing jointly) are employed, actively looking for full-time employment, or are enrolled in school full-time.
The nonrefundable Child Tax Credit will lower your tax liability down to $0. So you must have a tax liability in order to claim it. If you did not have at least a $4,000 tax liability, you would not be eligible for the entire credit, but you could be eligible for the Additional Child Tax Credit.
2024 vs. 2025 Child Tax Credit updates
In July of 2025, Child Tax Credit Big Beautiful Bill Act changes became law and increased the maximum amount of the credit. Here's a recap of the max for both years: Child Tax Credit 2024 – Up to $2,000. Child Tax Credit 2025 – Up to $2,200.
Child poverty fell by nearly one-half, reaching its lowest level ever, after the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 temporarily increased the credit to $3,000 per child ($3,600 for children under 6) and allowed low-income families to be fully eligible for the credit.